CHAPTER 3: MAGGIE
1252 Words
CHAPTER 3: MAGGIE
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Maggie clutched her purse to her side as she stepped off the elevator and walked into Terry’s suite of offices. No one would know she carried a mystery, s*x toy in her handbag. Mystery. Ha. She couldn’t believe the jerk had locked the box. It was insulting that he didn’t trust her.
“Hi, Maggie,” said Rebecca, Terry’s assistant.
“Hi. Is Terry in there?” She nodded at the closed door to her right. The juncture between her legs already throbbed for him, eager to try whatever new, secret pleasure he had planned.
“No. He said to give you this.” Rebecca handed her an envelope.
“Thanks.” She opened it, staring at a piece of paper with the number 303 scrawled across it and a key. It must be to the office downstairs.“Have a nice weekend.” She turned and headed for the elevator, her stomach twisting a bit. Whenever she thought about what might happen at the Club, her nerves battled the steady hum of excitement that pulsed through her body. She trusted Terry but she was going to a s*x club. Her. Maggie. Mother of three.
“Thank you. You too and enjoy your vacation.” Rebecca’s voice cracked and then she coughed.
Maggie stopped and walked back to the desk. Right after her divorce, she’d done her share of trying to hide her tears behind a cough. “Is there something wrong?” She hadn’t noticed it before but the other woman’s eyes were slightly swollen and red, like she’d been crying.
“No. Of course not. Everything’s fine.” Rebecca smiled but her lips quivered.
“Everything is not fine.” Maggie pulled up a chair. Terry wouldn’t be happy about being kept waiting but too bad. She may be his Sub but it was good for him to not always get exactly what he wanted when he wanted it. No matter how much he tried, he couldn’t control everything.
“It is. Really.” Rebecca looked away.
“Please, tell me. Maybe, I can help.”
“It’s stupid.” Rebecca faced Maggie, a lone tear sliding down her slender cheek. “My ex got married and I-I’m having a hard time.”
“I understand.” All too well. David had remarried three months after their divorce was final. “How long were you married?”
“Oh. We...never married, but we lived together for eight years.”
“I’m so sorry.” She took Rebecca’s hand in hers. What a jerk. The guy had strung her along for years and then married someone else.
“Thanks.” Rebecca pulled her hand free and wiped at her eyes with a tissue.
“When David remarried, I did nothing but sit on the couch and eat ice cream for weeks.” Besides when she’d had to take care of the kids, but she wasn’t bringing that up. The other woman didn’t have any children. Maggie’s kids had been her reason to get out of bed, to get dressed and to pretend to be normal. She had no idea how Rebecca forced herself to do any of those things.
“I’d love to do that. Maybe, I will this weekend.”
“You should.” She glanced behind her to make sure no one was around before leaning closer and lowering her voice. “You know what else you should do?”
“No. What?” Rebecca eyed her warily.
“You should find someone.” She never would’ve suggested this before she’d met Terry. She’d been raised to believe that s*x was only for committed relationships. It wasn’t. There was nothing wrong with finding pleasure with another person for a few hours. Being in love with the man made it better, but it wasn’t a necessity.
“I’m not ready for that.”
“I understand.” She had to tread carefully. Everyone grieved differently. She needed to make it clear that she wasn’t judging the other woman. “How long have you been broken up?”
“Almost a year.” Rebecca’s cheeks heated. “I find it difficult to talk to strangers and I wouldn’t even know where to meet a man anymore.”
This was excellent. Rebecca was willing but shy. Maggie had just the man for her. A man who was bite-her-lip gorgeous and currently unattached. “I know a few nice, single men.” Like the sexy, hunk of a man soundproofing her master bedroom. “When I get back into town I can set you up with one of them.”
“No. Thank you.” Rebecca took Maggie’s hand and gave it a quick squeeze. “I appreciate it. I do, but I’ll be okay. I just need time.”
A year was long enough to get over a jerk. However, Rebecca may be shy but she wasn’t a pushover. Maggie had seen the other woman hold her own against angry clients and even Terry. Subtlety was the key for this situation. “Of course, you will and you’re right. You’ll find someone when you’re ready.”
“Thank you for listening.” Rebecca smiled, but sadness lurked in the shadows of her dark green eyes. “I feel better already.”
She’d soon feel much, much better because Maggie was an expert at manipulating stubborn people. She did live with Terry. “Buy a tub of ice cream and enjoy your weekend.” She walked to the door and hesitated.
“Is there something else?”
“I hate to ask when you have your weekend planned.”
“What do you need?”
“It’s just...I’m a bit worried. We’re leaving Beast at home while we’re gone.”
“I thought you were boarding him?”
“We were going to, but the guy who’s remodeling our house is a friend of Ethan’s. He’s new in town and doesn’t have an apartment yet. Terry told him to stay at our place. Since he’s staying, there was no reason to board Beast.”
“I’m sure the dog will be happier at your house than in a kennel. I know mine preferred being at home.”
“You have a dog?” That was nice. At least, Rebecca wasn’t alone.
“Had. He passed away eighteen months ago.” Rebecca pulled another tissue from the box on her desk and wiped at her eyes again.
“I’m so sorry.” Maggie wanted to crawl into her overstuffed purse. The woman had lost both her lover and her dog within a year.
“Thanks. He was a great dog. I still miss him.”
Time to play the guilt card. “So, you understand my worries.”
“Ah...”
“I don’t really know Derek. I met him and Ethan vouched for him but...”
“You trust Ethan, don’t you?”
“Yes, but I’d feel much better if someone I knew checked in on Beast to make sure everything’s okay.”
“Of course.”
“Are you sure you don’t mind stopping by the house?” She knew Rebecca wouldn’t mind at all once she got a peek at Derek.
“It’ll be my pleasure.”
Maggie certainly hoped so. She dug in her purse. The sight of the box reminding her of the horny man who was going to wring her neck for taking this long. “Here’s my key.”
“You want me to let myself in? What about this Derek guy that’s staying there? Won’t he mind me barging into the house?”
“I’ll tell him to expect you every evening.”
“Every evening?” Rebecca’s voice was calm and her posture perfect—only the slight widening of her eyes gave away her surprise.
“Oh. I’m sorry. That’s too much to ask.” Maggie knew it wasn’t. Rebecca may not be a pushover but she was an assistant, helping others was ingrained in her.
“No. Not at all. I’ll be happy to do it.”
“Great. Thank you so much.” She stepped out of the door into the hallway. “You’ll go by tonight, right?”
“Tonight. Yep. Absolutely.” Rebecca’s smile was a bit strained.
Maggie didn’t care. Hopefully, the other woman would take one look at Derek and jump him. If it weren’t for Terry, Maggie would have. The guy was average height, muscular, with dark hair, dark blue eyes and a smile that melted panties.
Her phone beeped.
TERRY: Where the hell are you?
Maggie bit her lip to keep from laughing.
- Writer
